The Good, The Bad & The Dead | Book 1 | Once Upon A Time In An Undead World

by Grimes, A. L.

‘I think we may be too late,’ he said.

  ‘What do you mean,’ asked Miles.

  The child’s arm hung limply as though all her life had been emptied. He could see her flowered dress covered in blood, most probably her own. The bite mark on her arm looked too big for her small frame. ‘Look,’ he said as they passed again.

  ‘We can save the mother,’ he said.

  ‘I don’t think she wants to be saved,’ said Frank.

  ‘How do you know that?’ said Miles.

  ‘Because if it were me I wouldn’t want to be saved.’

  Miles was about to respond when the daughter woke from her sleep. Frank stopped the car, the dead surrounded them. The mother smiled; the daughter appeared to smile as she sunk her teeth into her mother’s neck. The blood gushed over them both. The rest of the dead turned towards Frank and Miles.

  Frank looked towards his companion, ‘We can’t save them all but it won’t stop us from trying.’ Miles acknowledged this with a silence and a nod. Frank allowed some of his rage to escape as he ploughed through the blood-stained dead.

  Although Miles was intelligent he struggled to understand how humanity had crumbled so quickly. ‘Have you not wondered how society has been taken over so quickly by the dead?’ He asked as they headed in the direction of Amy.

  ‘There is no need to wonder,’ he said. ‘My guess is that whatever is infecting these people is man-made and because we are so overpopulated it’s easy to spread it.’

  ‘You think it could be a terrorist attack?’ asked Miles.

  ‘Maybe,’ he replied. ‘Or it could be closer to home.’

  ‘Surely you don’t think our own government would destroy its own country?’

  Frank look towards him, ‘Whatever has happened it has taken a lot of planning on a major scale. The chaos and swarms of dead seem to have started in every big city in the country and on the same day that mass demonstrations have taken place. Add to that big sporting occasions up and down the country and on a Saturday when the country is half asleep over the weekend. Or am I the only one connecting this.’

  Miles had not registered this information, mainly because being confined to a psychiatric hospital prevented this. ‘Ok then but why?’

  ‘Once we have got Amy, maybe we should head to London to ask.’

  ‘London is also under attack,’ said Miles.

  ‘Yeah but I bet Downing Street and the rest of the government have the military standing in front of them.’

  Miles agreed that the government would be well protected however he doubted that they would be behind the cannibalistic attacks. ‘You really believe that the powers want to return the country to the dark ages.’

  ‘I don’t think that at all. I think it’s a cull,’ he replied.

  ‘A cull, dead humans coming back to life then eating their family and friends. You’re not serious.’

  ‘What better way to make the survivors appreciate all that the government has done in assisting their continuance. The world has had extinction level events before, humans have always believed they are the superior race.’

  Miles laughed, ‘Humans, are we not the more superior?’

  ‘We’ll see,’ replied Frank.

  Miles looked around at the wandering dead and the permanent dead. ‘I’m not that certain there will be any survivors.’

  ‘I’m not talking about the people on the streets. The survivors will have already been picked and holed away in some underground bunkers in the countryside,’ he said with venom. And much worse deeper, he thought.

  Miles knew crazy, he had been around it long enough. What Frank was saying did sound far-fetched but he spoke the words with calmness and knowledge. He explored Frank’s theory further. ‘You speak confidently about this plague, infection or whatever you want to call it but where is your proof to back it up.’

  Frank gave Miles a cold hard stare. ‘Are you fucking serious, proof…what proof? There are over sixty million people in England, seven billion worldwide, if it weren’t for gravity the earth would have fallen through space by now. We have a population of consumers who are eating the Earth out of existence, you really think the world powers are going to allow their existence to be jeopardised by a new society who only know how to fuck, populate and consume.’

  Miles didn’t really know how to answer Frank, his argument was sound. ‘But is cannibalism the way forward.’

  Frank smiled, ‘They are only doing what they’ve always done – populating and consuming, the only difference now is that as the dead become more the living become less.’

  Miles didn’t get a chance to respond as Frank stopped the car in front of seven-foot-tall cast iron gates. The gates were closed. The dead were few on the road but the other side of the gates was different. Frank stepped from the car without a word. He drew the machete and cleaved his way through several of the dead, stopping at the gates. Miles joined him. The dead reached through the bars, growling and clawing. Frank tried the phone; the signal had gone. He jumped back into the car and slammed the horn. More of the dead poured towards the gate.

  Chapter Fifty-Seven

  Manchester, Salford.

  Harry had sent Marcus Alcock to his house, he had confided that he thought Hazel was up to something. He wanted him to be observant and report anything back, he wanted to know everything that was said.

  ‘Wouldn’t Bull be better at this than me Boss?’ Asked Marcus.

  ‘They don’t really get on to be honest, never have done and I doubt us being in the middle of a dead uprising will change that,’ said Harry.

  ‘No offence Harry but I hardly know her, we don’t really mix with the boss’ wife.’

  ‘She has seen you around the club and I know you’re not intimate with her, but you have shared words,’ replied Harry.

  Marcus almost choked on the lump in his throat, ‘Yeah, fair enough Boss, she seems pleasant enough…no offense again.’

  ‘None taken, just keep your ears switched on and report anything back.’

  ‘Should I be listening for anything in particular?’ Asked Marcus.

  ‘I think she might be screwing someone behind my back. It could be a woman, but my guess is it’s a man and somebody I know. You get me that name and I’ll find you a better position in my organisation,’ said Harry.

  ‘Sure thing Harry,’ said Marcus noticing the quiver in his own voice.

  ‘Call me H.’

  ‘Sure thing H,’ he replied hesitantly.

  Marcus left the club certain that he was walking into a trap. He thought about going home, getting some things together and getting out of town. The only problem being – were would he go. He drove slowly to Harry’s house; he wasn’t in a rush to die. He wouldn’t have minded if he had screwed Hazel, but he hadn’t, a few brief flirtations mostly initiated by Hazel herself. He was beginning to think he had been set up by both of them.

  He drove through the streets of the mainly abandoned city centre. The dead had been cleared mostly. Occasionally one or two stumbled out from somewhere but nothing that the patrols couldn’t manage. Further out in the suburbs the dead were still a problem, within a day of the clean-up crews clearing an area they were re-populated. Harry knew that some homes would still have the dead inside, he didn’t consider it a problem yet because they were contained. He had instructed his crews to be discreet on their patrols and not to gain too much attention from a growing population of the dead.

  Marcus pulled up outside the gates of Harry’s house, it now resembled a fortress. Built behind a twelve-foot wall, with conifers reaching high into the sky providing further isolation and security. Harry lived in the affluent area of Hale. The dead were not welcome here and all of Harry’s neighbours now owed him a debt, including several councillors and a police inspector who had been holed up behind his own wall since he fled his overrun station. An armed guard appeared from between two trees, standing atop Harry’s wall.

  They recognised each other. The guard gave the signal for the gate
to be opened. Somebody unseen to Marcus pushed a button that stirred the gears of the gate into life. They opened inwardly, Marcus passed through them and headed up the long drive towards the impressive house.He parked the car and got out, no turning back now. If it was a trap he had been snared. He walked up the four wide steps to the front door, he didn’t need to knock - the door opened as he approached it.

  Another armed henchman appeared and gave Marcus a nod. ‘I’m here to assist Hazel, I’m mean Mrs Flowers,’ he said.

  ‘Yes I know,’ he replied in an eastern European accent. ‘Follow me, I will take you to the lady of the house.’

  ‘Cheers mate. Have you worked for Mr Flowers long?’ He asked the broad shouldered and bald-headed man leading him through the house.

  His question was greeted by silence. Marcus knew it wasn’t a language barrier, he spoke perfect English. The man led him to the kitchen and opened a door.

  ‘Mrs Flowers I have Marcus Alcock here to see you,’ he said.

  Hazel looked up surprised as did Melanie. ‘I didn’t tell you my name,’ said Marcus to the man.

  The bald-headed man gestured for Marcus to enter the kitchen area, ‘Please sir.’

  Marcus entered the room. He knew something wasn’t right. Hazel looked alarmed at his presence; he was shocked to see his girlfriend sitting at the table.

  ‘Marcus,’ said Melanie.

  ‘Melanie what are you doing here, I thought you had left the city. I was trying to ring you.’

  ‘Never mind her, what the fuck are you doing here,’ said Hazel.

  ‘Harry sent me,’ he replied.

  ‘I don’t understand,’ said Melanie.

  ‘Oh shit,’ said Hazel.

  *

  When Marcus had left Harry’s office Bull entered through a side door. He had been listening to the conversation. ‘He is a lying bastard; you should have let me do him.’

  ‘There will be time for that later. Did you plant the bugs?’

  ‘I did, two in the kitchen, two in the living room and one in every other room. I doubt they will go in the garden because of the CCTV or the guards. If he has a way out for them both, we’ll hear it.’

  ‘Good,’ said Harry. ‘Let’s get going.’

  *

  Melanie rushed into Marcus’ arms. ‘Has Harry sent you to take me home?’ She asked him.

  ‘No,’ he replied. ‘I think it’s a trap.’

  ‘It’s a shame you didn’t think of that on the way over and stayed the fuck away,’ snarled Hazel.

  ‘I thought about it, but I wanted to warn you. We need to get out of here.’

  ‘Marcus what are you talking about, what’s going on with you two?’ Melanie asked.

  ‘I’m sorry Melanie but I’m in love with Hazel, I’m going to take her away from here, I have it planned. We can drop you off at your mothers on the way if you like but we will have to be fast about it.’

  Hazel spat her coffee across the table as she laughed. ‘Love, do me a favour,’ she continued to laugh.

  ‘Marcus we are in love, we are a family, or we soon will be.’ She placed his hand on her stomach. ‘I’m carrying your baby.’

  *

  Harry heard Melanie’s disclosure through his earpiece, so did Bull. The profanities that erupted from Harry’s mouth would have scored triple on a scrabble board. They ended with a flurry of punches being thrown at the headrest of the seat in front of him, the same seat Bull was sitting in. Bull ordered the driver to pull over. He got in the back with Harry and tried to calm him.

  ‘Get on the radio to Balmer, I want two of my armoured dead brought here now,’ Harry seethed.

  ‘Hang on Harry, let’s think this through.’

  ‘I’m done thinking, just fucking do it,’ he ordered Bull.

  Twenty minutes later Balmer arrived in a van, the dead moaning from the back.

  ‘Right,’ Harry said. ‘Let’s get fucking inside.’

  *

  Hazel laughed louder still. ‘The baby’s not Harry’s?’

  Marcus grabbed Melanie’s wrist. ‘You’ve been sleeping with Harry,’ he said sounding offended.

  ‘He raped me in the club. When he discovered I was pregnant he assumed it was his. I didn’t want to tell him otherwise, he scares the shit out of me,’ sobbed Melanie. She snatched her arm away. ‘Don’t you dare criticise me after what you two have been up to.’

  Marcus ignored her accusation, ‘I’ll kill him, I’ll fucking kill him for what he has done to you.’

  Hazel couldn’t be bothered with the drama, she knew her escape was over for now, Harry had won this one. ‘Here’s your chance,’ she said as she watched Harry’s car roll through the gates.

  The lump in Marcus’ throat returned.

  *

  ‘We need to go,’ said Marcus.

  ‘You two can go where you want, I’m having a drink,’ said Hazel.

  Marcus rushed to the patio doors, he flung back the long drapes. Outside several armed men stared back. ‘Shit, we are boxed in,’ he said.

  ‘You really are an imbecile aren’t you, said Hazel. ‘You really think Harry hasn’t planned this down to the last detail. He has probably got the place bugged. He sent you here, knowing full well what was happening. The pregnancy is going to be a surprise though,’ she couldn’t help but laugh again.

  ‘Marcus, you’re scaring me,’ said Melanie.

  He was busy running about the kitchen opening doors. ‘Shit,’ he said again as he peered into a large walk in pantry. Another door housed a laundry. ‘We’re fucked.’

  ‘Correction, you’re fucked,’ responded Hazel. ‘My advice is to keep both your mouths shut about the baby. Let Harry keep thinking it’s his, that way Melanie will be safe.’

  ‘What about Marcus?’ Asked Melanie.

  ‘He needs to run and hide while making his peace with this world.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Melanie asked.

  ‘She means that Harry is on his way to kill me,’ said Marcus.

  Melanie put her hand to her mouth and gasped in terror. ‘You need to go,’ she said.

  ‘There’s nowhere to go,’ he replied.

  ‘Whatever fight you are going to put up, I’d start real soon.’ Hazel motioned to the CCTV as Harry and Bull climbed out of the car.

  Marcus ran to Melanie, ‘You’ll be safe,’ he kissed her on the mouth. ‘Bitch,’ he said to Hazel.

  ‘Prick,’ she returned.

  Marcus picked up a kitchen knife and ran to the door he had entered through. He was greeted by the large fist of the bald-headed man. The first blow landed squarely in his mouth; he felt a tooth pop from his gum: blood erupted from his burst lip. He staggered backwards, dazed. Before he could recover the next blow caught him on the chin and sent him to sleep.

  Bald head grabbed him by his collar and dragged him from the kitchen. Melanie slapped him hard, under any other circumstances he would not raise a hand to either of Harry’s women, but he had been given the word from Harry himself. He backhanded Melanie across her mouth sending her sprawling across the kitchen floor.

  Hazel jumped from her chair shocked, she lent down and comforted the sobbing Melanie. ‘She is carrying Harry’s child, he’ll cut your bollocks off for that.’

  ‘Is she really,’ it wasn’t a question.

  Hazel knew the implications of his response; Harry knew the kid wasn’t his. She knew that the day wasn’t going to end well for any of them, most of all Marcus.

  *

  Harry barged through the front door, Bull behind him. Marcus was being dragged across the marbled floor. ‘What happened to him?’ he asked.

  ‘He ran into my fist twice as he was trying to make a break for it.’

  ‘Well done Erik, keep dragging him onto the lawn. Where are the women?’ Erik nodded his head in the direction of the kitchen.

  Harry walked in; Hazel was still helping Melanie to her feet. ‘I don’t want to hear a word from you,’ he said to his wife. ‘You think you can take me fo
r a fool?’ He said pointing a finger at Melanie.

  ‘Leave her alone,’ said Hazel ignoring Harry’s threats.

  ‘I told you to keep quiet,’ he snarled. ‘I’ll deal with you later.’

  ‘Deal with me later, you’re not talking to one of your dickheads. Don’t deal with me, let me go. Surely you know by now that I can’t bear to look at you.’

  ‘I’m bored with your whining; you are staying put and I don’t want to hear another word. You wouldn’t survive an hour outside on your own.’

  ‘Bring them outside,’ he said to Bull. ‘And if either of them resist, knock them out.’

  Bull smiled, ‘Whatever you say H.’ He took the elbows of both women and led them outside.

  *

  Outside Marcus had been chained to the front of Erik’s jeep. Erik was a survivalist and a mercenary. He was a man of violence, who showed no remorse for his actions. Erik had been put in charge of Harry’s security since his defection and he was a man that ensured there had never been any trouble on his watch.

  Erik was bringing Marcus back into consciousness by urinating in his face. Marcus was spluttering and spitting out piss as quick as it was going in. Erik laughed, so did his crew. They all stood about watching the humiliation.

  Harry placed a hand on his shoulder, ‘That’s enough for now Erik.’

  Erik nodded, he zipped himself up and stepped out of Harry’s way. Harry knelt down in front of Marcus. ‘You think you can fuck my wife and get away with it.’

  ‘I’ve never touched your bitch of a wife, you rapist bastard.’

  Harry raised his hand to slap the bravado out of him. He realised he was covered in Erik’s piss. ‘I know you haven’t actually touched her. If you had you’d be choking on your own bollocks now.’

  ‘Let me and Melanie go.’

  Harry laughed; the rest of his men joined in. ‘I’m not going to let you go but I am going to make an example of you both.’ Melanie felt her legs go.

  Bull let her drop to the ground. Harry gave a nod to him. Bull and Erik went to the rear of the truck. They grabbed a couple of lassoes. Balmer opened the doors. The two dead creatures moaned at the fresh flesh standing before them, they moved forward. Bull or Erik were not easily intimidated, not even by the dead, these were different. They hooked their nooses’ and led the dead out.